Build NREMT-style items that work. Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias sit down again with Todd Vreeland—former NREMT exam coordinator and Philly Fire medic—to turn blueprinting into crisp, Registry-style questions. They break down stems, keyed answers, and the art of writing plausible (not random) distractors; show how to keep choices equal in length and tense; and strip out “dark and stormy night” fluff so the stem follows the flow of a call. You’ll hear when negatives are fair game, how to fold repeated verbs into the stem, order numeric lists, and mine students' fill-ins for real-world distractors. They touch on timing (why MC items read in ~half a minute), updating items as guidelines evolve, and what’s different about clinical judgment/TEI items. Finish with a simple style sheet and a team review process that removes clues, raises difficulty correctly, and produces fair, focused items that separate knowing from guessing.

Stop guessing, start blueprinting. Dan Limmer and Chuck Allias sit down with Todd Vreeland, former NREMT exam coordinator and Philly Fire medic, to show how real Registry-style items get made. Learn what to test, how to map to the Education Standards and Scope of Practice, and why publisher banks miss the mark. Walk away with a simple plan to build fair, focused exams that improve pass rates. Part 2 tackles stems, distractors, and polish.

In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, Dan Limmer talks with Dr. Mike Miller, Assistant Director of the Committee on Accreditation of EMS Programs, about what it takes to help more students succeed in EMS education.

They explore the reasons students leave programs, what educators can do to reduce attrition, and how simple changes—like better support, connection, and teaching strategies—can make a lasting difference. They also discuss the role of accreditation, the importance of mentoring, and why supporting educators themselves is key to strong programs.

Recorded live at Accreditcon, this episode offers a clear look at practical ways to improve EMS education, from both sides of the classroom.

How can EMS educators better support neurodiverse students in the classroom? In this episode of We Are EMS Educators, hosts Dan Limmer and Chuck Elias sit down with Sarah Moore Gruver, a seasoned EMS educator with personal and professional experience in neurodiversity. They explore the impact of autism, ADHD, and learning differences on EMS training and share practical strategies to create a more inclusive, effective learning environment. Whether you're an instructor, program director, or EMS professional, this episode is packed with insights to help every student succeed.

Big changes are coming to the National Registry BLS Exam, and in this special episode of We Are EMS Educators, host Chuck Allias sits down with co-host and EMS education expert Dan Limmer to break it all down.

In this episode we discuss

• Key exam changes taking effect April 7th – What educators need to know
• Assessment-focused testing – Why thinking and decision-making matter more than memorization
• Technology-Enhanced Items (TEIs) are no longer going to be pilot items. Know what to expect.
• Scenario-based learning – Practical classroom strategies to better prepare students for the assessment focus of the new exam
• Debunking the fear – Why this change is not a reason to panic

Dan shares insights from his conversations with the National Registry and provides practical tips for educators to adapt their teaching methods. This episode is packed with real-world strategies to help students succeed on the new exam—and in the field.

Using the preceptor/student relationship as a foundation, NAEMT’s Paramedic of the Year and Los Angeles County Fire Paramedic Ricky Battle shares some of his strategies for survival on clinical shifts and beyond. This concept of “getting along” applies to both students and preceptors. How do we deal with personalities, organizations, and the things our personal lives throw at us—while just trying to get along? Ricky Battle has some personal and insightful answers for us.

Ricku Battle is a member of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department(LACoFD), a paramedic in Hawthorne, California, who was named the 2023 NAEMT/Velico Paramedic of the Year. This award recognizes the emergency medical technician who provides exceptional patient care.

While educators know the importance of pathophysiology in EMS education, teaching it logically and practically is a significant challenge. The need for pathophysiology begins in EMT class as a vital foundation—and continues throughout all certifications. In this episode, EMS author and professor Joe Mistovich helps break down the barriers to teaching pathophysiology. From content to concepts, this will help you teach pathophysiology effectively and understandably.

Joseph Mistovich, Professor Emeritus, retired as the Chairperson of the Department of Health Professions and as a Professor at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio after 35 years of service on the faculty. His first 11 years he served as the EMS Program Director before becoming Chairperson of the Department. During his tenure as Chairperson, he continued to teach EMS courses every semester until his retirement. He frequently teaches EMS education courses at the EMR, EMT, Advanced EMT, and Paramedic levels and continues to speak at EMS conferences. He also continues to serve on professional boards and committees related to emergency medical services. While at Youngstown State University, he was the recipient of the Watson Award, Chairperson Leadership Award, and two Distinguished Professorship Awards in Teaching, a Distinguished Professorship Award in Research and Scholarship, and the first recipient of the Distinguished Chairperson Award for Excellence in Scholarship awarded for excellence in scholarship while serving as chairperson of a department. He received a Master of Education degree from Kent State University, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Science degree in Allied Health and an Associate in Applied Science degree in Emergency Medical Services from Youngstown State University. He has authored fifteen EMS textbooks and more than fifty EMS journal articles. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP), which is the national accrediting committee for EMS programs, for more than eighteen years. He has also served on numerous National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) committees related to Department of Transportation national curriculum revision and was one of eight group leaders that developed the National EMS Education Standards. He served on many National Registry of EMTs projects where he continues to assist with special projects

Clinical judgment has been in the EMS vocabulary for some time. It is time to move it from buzzword to practice. Exactly what is clinical judgment? How do we instill it in our students? And how does this apply to the National Registry’s ALS test plan? Jeff is part of the team that has been teaching clinical judgment and explaining the NREMT’s test plan to educators around the country, and in this session, he shares that knowledge with us.

Jeff Anderson is a paramedic and EMS Educator from Bossier City, LA. He currently serves as the Program Director of the Paramedic program at Bossier Parish Community College. He also works as a paramedic for a local EMS Agency. He holds an AAS in Paramedic from Bossier Parish Community College, a BS in Management from Louisiana Tech University, and is currently pursuing a MA in Adult Education from Northwestern Louisiana University. He has been a paramedic for 23 years.

Can an environment of inclusion and belonging improve student performance? Heather Davis thinks so and talks about it in this episode. All too often, healthcare education uses a sink-or-swim approach. We eat our young. Heather proposes an educational community where students are welcome and given the tools they need to succeed. Listen to this episode to learn more about setting expectations, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, and involving all of your faculty members to further student success.

Heather Davis is the Director of Student Assessment at the David Geffen School of Medicine, and has been honored with the 2024 Rocco V. Morando Lifetime Achievement Award. She is responsible for managing a valid, reliable, and equitable assessment program used to enhance learning and verify the competency of undergraduate medical students at UCLA. She previously spent more than 20 years at the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care, in both the Associate Director and Program Director roles. As the Education Director for LA County Fire, she managed education programs for over 3000 firefighter EMTs and Paramedics. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Southern California, teaches as an Adjunct Professor in the Rossier School of Education, and served 15 years on the NREMT Board of Directors. Dr. Davis is a published author and national speaker. Her scholarly interests lie in learning and motivation, transfer of learning, and how issues of equity and inclusion impact learning and performance.

Dan Batsie shares his top four favorite books in our first podcast that he believes can significantly improve teaching methods and support student learning. These selected books provide valuable insights and practical strategies for creating an engaging and effective learning environment. Educators have responded positively to Dan's recommendations, finding them valuable resources for professional development and classroom instruction. Dan shares his top four recommended books to enhance teaching and help students learn.

• Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning – by Peter C. Brown
• Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning – by Pooja Agarwal
• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
• Why Don’t Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom – by Daniel T. Willingham

About our Guest: Dan Batsie is the Director of the Division of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention for the State of Vermont. He has been a paramedic in New York, Maine, and now Vermont for more than 28 years. Prior to working in Vermont, he was a regional education coordinator for the State of Maine and administered the paramedic programs for Eastern Maine and Kennebec Valley Community Colleges. He has authored and contributed to numerous EMS textbooks and is an international conference speaker and educator